+ The hunt is on
for the giant tuna
Last week, Siesta Key
residents Chris and Laura
Jessen were part of an
exclusive group of travelers on the Australia-based
Blue Water Magazine readers trip of 2012: the hunt
for giant bluefin tuna. The
couple spent six days aboard
the Lady Dawn, in Prince
Edward Island, Canada, fishing for giant bluefin with
Captains Jamie and Troy
Bruce. Regulations for giant
bluefin tuna fishing are
strictly enforced for preservation, and each charter boat
can catch and release only
one fish in the morning and
one in the afternoon each
day.

money talks

SPORTS
Riverview junior
Mason Fox takes
top golfing honors.
PAGE 15A

by Alex Mahadevan | News Editor

Beach project price tag reviewed
The cost estimates for the Siesta Key beach improvements have more than tripled
over the past four years. Stakeholders want to get the project to a feasible price.
Members of the Siesta Key
Association during a Sept. 6
monthly meeting may get the
first look at a cheaper Siesta Key
public beach improvement plan,
according to Siesta Key Village
Maintenance Corp. Director
Mark Smith.
Sarasota County Project Manager Curtis Smith told Mark
Smith he plans to present the re-

vised plans, in which costs were
cut to make it more feasible to
complete construction before
2024 — the current timeline.
“I told (Curtis Smith) he’d be a
real hero if he could have (plans
ready) by the SKA meeting,”
Mark Smith said.
The new emergency operations center and the new Gulf
Gate Library, which both have

full funding approved, had different fiscal trajectories. The latter’s price tag fell from about $12
million, when proposed, to $7.5
million in 2010, then settled at
just more than $10 million. The
emergency operations center,
which will greatly enhance the
wind-damage protection for the

Sydney Schrader and her brother, Kaden, have fun building sand sculptures and castles Wednesday, Sept. 5, on Siesta Key Beach.

Alex Mahadevan

+ Deputy Binkley
takes the field
Sarasota County Sheriff’s
Office Deputy Matt Binkley
worked his first high school
football game in his new
position as a school liaison officer Friday, Aug.
31, when Sarasota High
School hosted Booker High
School. Siesta Key residents and business owners
may recognize Binkley
from his nearly eight nears
of service on the island,
which ended earlier this
year when he was transferred.

ADVERTISTING OPPORTUNITY

Rachel S. O’Hara

by Alex Mahadevan | News Editor

Village Association shifts focus to marketing
The Siesta Key organization aims to add more value to membership
as it shifts stewardship of Village maintenance to Sarasota County.
Although the popular brown
signs touting Siesta beach’s 2011
“No. 1 Beach in America” designation may soon disappear, the
Siesta Key Village Association is
planning to sustain is summer
marketing strategy and keep Si-

esta on the tourism map.
The organization’s board
of directors, during a Sept. 4
meeting, voted unanimously
to spend $1,200 to help members pay for advertising space
in Florida Travel & Lifestyles, a

bi-monthly national magazine
that has 70% of its distribution
outside of the state. According to documents distributed
to Village Association members
by the magazine’s senior executive, Selma Horowitz, the Village

will be featured during the next
six months in print and on the
Florida Travel website.
SKVA President Russell Matthes asked that members interested in the advertising space
contact him so they could begin working on a layout, which

SEE VILLAGE / PAGE 7A

INDEX
Briefs....................4A
Classifieds ........ 23A

Cops Corner....... 10A
Crossword.......... 22A

Opinion .............. 8A
Real Estate........ 20A

Sports................ 15A
Weather............. 22A

Vol. 43, No. 6 | Two sections
YourObserver.com

PELICAN PRESS

YourObserver.com

MAP
AREA

SIESTA KEY BEACH IMPROVEMENTS: WANTS VS. NEEDS

BE

AC

H

RD

.

1

L A K E HOU

county’s emergency management department, fell
$5 million in estimated cost from 2010, to its current
state at $15 million. (See charts.)
The two projects offer a view of how variable forecasts can be and highlight the differences that could
come when the Siesta beach improvement project
reaches 90% design completion. Mark Smith said
during the Sept. 4 Village Association meeting there
was some wishful thinking factored into the 60%
completed design plan.
Lourdes Ramirez, former president of SKA, said an
observation deck that allows tourists to see Venice
and the boardwalk were unnecessary. An outspoken
critic of the inflated price tag, Ramirez said the $21.4
million project could be pared down to $6 million
and still expand parking by 450 spaces.
“So that’s my two cents,” she said.
There is currently about $7 million earmarked for
the project, as of the latest preliminary budget for
the 2013 fiscal year.
According to documents provided by Sarasota
County Public Works, the largest cost increases
happened when lighting and changes to parking
lot plans were reconfigured in the 60% completion
phase, which added about $5.2 million to the price
tag. This was after another parking configuration increased the cost by $1.8 million last year.
Mapping the cost variance and taking into account
each line item is not an easy task, Mark Smith said
during the meeting. Trivial aspects, such as rubber
piping circumference, complicate such an analysis,
he explained.
“What I told him was that the Siesta Key community — communities — and all the organizations
were very much in favor of the project and don’t
want the project to fall by the wayside due to budgeting issues,” Mark Smith said. “We’re all pulling for
the same thing.”

SIESTA KEY

BEACH WAY D
R.

BEACH / FROM PAGE 1A

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

AV
DE ENI
D
L
MA A
RE

2A

Lighting
2

SI

ES

TA

5

Parking lot
enhancements

SE

CI R .

Maintenance
building

Concession stand
Playground
4

KE

Y

BE

1

3

AC

H

2

Lighting

Added $1.04 million to original design.

3

Parking lot enhancements

Playground

Added $5.3 million to original design.

Added $705,000 to original design.

5

4

*Photos are of current
structures that will be
remodeled under the
beach improvement plan.

Emergency Operations Center cost variance

Maintenance building

Concession stand

Added $2 million to original design.

Photos by Alex Mahadevan | Graphic by Nicole Thompson

Source: SARASOTA COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS

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2 fren of sase of a
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& a h purc or set
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Bus capacity doubles for Crystal Classic
Organizers of the November master sandsculpting competition hope
to solve some of the transportation problems that arose last year.
The good news keeps rolling in for
stakeholders planning the Siesta Key
Crystal Classic Master SandSculpting
competition. Siesta Key Village Association members, during a Sept. 4 meeting,
learned 10 buses would be trucking people to the island from the mainland. Traffic is still a concern, but a new route allows an additional stop in the Village and
streamlines vehicle activity.
Maria Bankemper, co-chairwoman
of the Crystal Classic Steering Committee, presented the revised transportation plan, which received mostly positive
feedback.

In 2011, buses picked up people at Phillippi Estate Park and took the Siesta Key
south bridge to the main entrance of the
public beach, where they had to use the
beach parking lot to turn around and follow the same route in the opposite direction. Traffic would get tied up, and buses
were delayed when they turned around in
the beach parking lot.
To stay within the allotted budget, buses will be used on the weekends from 11
a.m. until 4 p.m. Last year, there were approximately 800 vehicles using the Phillippi parking option on the weekends,
but much less activity on Friday. The new

route will be circular, starting at Phillippi and then taking the Siesta Key north
bridge onto the Key and making a stop at
the south end of the Village before continuing to the public beach.
“This is going to be awesome,” said
SKVA President Russell Matthes, “because we’re going to have people at our
front doors for lunch and dinner.”
The event is driven by sponsorships,
and Matthes said having the stop in the
Village should be enough to motivate any
Village business to sponsor the Crystal
Classic.
Bankemper said the 10 buses will range

in size from 55 seats to smaller “feeder vehicles” that will speed up the turnaround
rate for transportation to the event.
But, Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office
Deputy Chris McGregor said he has concerns the plan to drop off attendees next
to the roadway would cause more traffic
problems.
“My concern is if we start dropping off
on the street in front of the public beach,
it’s going to be a huge traffic nightmare,”
McGregor explained during the meeting.
But, Bankemper countered that the
loading and unloading times won’t be significant enough to have a major affect on
traffic flow.
“They don’t have coolers and things
with them,” she said of the expected users. “They’re not bringing a lot of stuff.”

IBIZA INSPIRATION
by Alex Mahadevan | News Editor

Record label
eyes Siesta
for festival
A record-label marketer is
scouting Siesta Key for a
music festival but is learning
the feat will be no small task.

Family Business
Rachel S. O’Hara

Pino Mazzone with his son, Riccardo, 8, have fun together selling Paneolio olive oil Sunday, Sept. 2, at the Siesta Key Farmers Market. Paneolio
has had a booth at the farmers market for years, and Mazzone brings his son along to help out many Sundays. See more photos on page 12A.

GRASS IS NO GREENER

by Alex Mahadevan | News Editor

Mowing contract fails original decision tree
Sarasota County Public Works staff said contractual landscaping
would be the key to hedging against financial downturns.
In 2008, Sarasota County Public Works
staff gave a presentation to county commissioners with a plan aimed at evaluating
county responsibilities and saving county
dollars.
Outsourcing the job of mowing hundreds of acres of public medians to a single
firm may have seemed like an efficient
strategy to corral government spending
during the recession, but the county found
the grass was much greener on the other
side — because medians were left neglected and overgrown by the contracted firm.
“Will it be difficult to define the expected deliverables/Level of service precisely
enough to avoid any problems?” asks a
node on a decision tree from a 2008 PowerPoint presentation obtained by the Pelican
Press. “No,” it answers. County commissioners originally heard the presentation
in April 2008.
“Communication problems and misunderstandings more likely?” reads another
hypothetical question from the presentation. Again, the reply is “no.”
Four years later, and the Sarasota Coun-

ty commissioners are still receiving email
complaints about overgrown and unsightly medians — two months after the
contracted job had to be split four ways
with six-month upkeep agreements. The
contracted firm, Bloomings Landscaping
and Turf Management, issued a stop-work
order in May, leaving the county with high
weeds and few internal crews to cut the
backlog.
That was about a month after staff became concerned about the firm bucking
responsibilities and authorized additional payments to the company to send an
“army” of its staff to mow neglected areas,
according to several purchase orders and
internal staff emails.
There are thousands of dollars’ worth
of purchase orders on hold for Bloomings while Sarasota County decides on
an appropriate strategy to determine the
amount owed by either party to fulfill obligations of the failed contract. County Administrator Randall Reid said in a recent
interview that he would not comment on
emails exchanged between two public

works staffers in late February, in which
one employee asked another if they should
“ignore the light in the tunnel” in regard to
the mowing contract. Reid said the issue
was already addressed, but local activist
group Citizens for Responsible Government used the string of emails to criticize
the lack of transparency.
“Selecting the lowest-cost proposal
may result in quality problems? No,” the
2008 presentation asserts. County staff in
2008 estimated that an annual contract
for mowing activities would cost about
$1.87 million — approximately $2 million
if adjusted for inflation in 2012. Bloomings’ contract was for about $1.85 million,
which was less than original estimates and
below the amount earmarked.
The same presentation advocated the
use of mulching to decrease median upkeep costs. County Commissioner Nora
Patterson has already received complaints
about a mulched median on Jacaranda
Boulevard, which has weeds ripping
through the layer of mulch, spilling the
material into the roadway.
“Key reasons contractual mowing is preferred: lower hourly wages, lower benefit
cost, lower overhead cost,” the decision
tree concludes.

The first person Ryan Heras contacted
to pitch his idea for an electronic-andcultural music festival he wants to bring
to Siesta Key was Sarasota County Commissioner Nora Patterson.
His plan is in its infancy, he explained,
but he wanted to get the conversation
started with the island community, which
he discovered after doing a Google search
for the perfect beach to showcase the club
music and culture of Ibiza, a small island
in the Mediterranean Sea.
“I would need a lot more information
before I could share any logical thought,”
Patterson responded to Heras’ email.
He said it’s still too early for him to
share his complete vision, but the Miami
resident has the backing of Monza Ibiza
Records, a Spanish record label, and is in
talks with Diageo, the alcohol distributor
behind brands such as José Cuervo, to
help share the financing and preparation
for what he sees as an event that will draw
10,000 people to Siesta.
“When I get feedback I’ll really start
thinking about the numbers,” Heras said.
“Until then, it’s very much in limbo.”
Ibiza Rocks is a similar festival held in
Spain since 2005. Musical artists including the Arctic Monkeys and the Kaiser
Chiefs have played the event to attract
a wider audience to the music of Ibiza,
which Heras aims to do with a festival on
Siesta Key. He said record-label connections in Miami could help secure a popular artist to do the same in Sarasota.
The month of November, which is usually slow for tourism on Siesta, is the time
in which Heras would like to plan the
event. He explained that there is another
Ibiza-inspired music festival in South
Florida in the fall, which could provide
runoff attendance.
“I think he was trying to go behind the
scenes and see if it would be worth the
effort,” Patterson said. With permits required for nearly everything, all the way
down to raking seaweed off of Siesta
Beach, planning big events can become
expensive and take years — such as the
Siesta Key Crystal Classic Master Sand
Sculpting competition, Patterson said
during a phone interview.
“It would require some mechanism for
moving a large amount of people, like
buses,” Patterson said. “It’s definitely not
a slam dunk.”

PELICAN PRESS

YourObserver.com

This week on

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

FLORIDA’S NO. 1 WEEKLY NEWSPAPER WEBSITE

.

In the Kitchen (VIDEO):
Nicole Kaney is a Sarasota resident and
wedding planner who loves to cook.
Healthy dishes are her specialty, and this
week, she shows us how to prepare a kale
salad that she and her husband often enjoy.

MOST READ STORIES ONLINE LAST WEEK:
1. Vagrant living in vacant building (Aug. 30)
2. In the Kitchen with Marina Sommers (Aug. 27)
3. Vehicle burglaries continue on Siesta (Aug. 31)
4. Sarasota County schools closed Monday (Aug. 25)
5. LED lights to be sent out to bid (Aug. 29)

+ Tropical Storm Isaac
affects SKVA billboard
Tropical Storm Isaac had little
effect on Siesta Key but forced
the Siesta Key Village Association
billboard on Bee Ridge Road to
be furled, said the organization’s
president, Russell Matthes, during a
Sept. 3 monthly meeting.
The billboard is one facet of the
ramped up marketing strategy SKVA
implemented this year to counter
any potential negative effects from
the Siesta Key north bridge lane closures this summer.
Matthes said he was not sure
when the billboard would be
unfurled, but would check on its status following the meeting.

+ Vehicle burglaries
continue on Siesta Key
A rash of vehicle burglaries on
Siesta Key continued Aug. 27, when
at least four residents reported items
missing from their cars. All of the
vehicles were unlocked, according to
incident reports from the Sarasota
County Sheriff’s office.
A Gameboy, a diaper bag, a
pack of cigarettes and more than
$10 in loose change were reported
missing by residents living on
Commonwealth Drive and a tourist
staying on Siesta Woods Drive, who
said his 6-year-old daughter heard
suspicious noises at 3:30 a.m.
Sgt. Scott Osborne, during a

Siesta Key Association meeting earlier this month, said it was possible
that a band of thieves was coordinating burglaries at beach accesses.
Deputies conducted an undercover
sting aimed at catching the culprits
but were unsuccessful.

Say, what Siesta?
“(Sarasota County Project Manager Curtis Smith) thought he would
have that to me by the end of last week, which I thought was ambitious. Apparently it was, because I didn’t get it,” Mark Smith, chairman of the Siesta Key Village Maintenance Corp., on holdups facing
the Siesta Key beach improvement project and plans to pare down its
price tag.

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

by Alex Mahadevan | News Editor

BP settlement far from free
money for Sarasota County
County commissioners asked staff to devise a strategy
to maximize potential funds from a settlement with the
oil company, which could be as much as $20 million.
Sarasota County inched closer to
tapping into as much as $20 million
from the U.S. government’s settlement with BP following the 2010 oil
spill during a special County Commission workshop Aug. 29.
Sarasota County Deputy County
Administrator Bill Little asked for
a motion to assign county staff to
develop a strategy on how to secure
and use the funds available from the
RESTORE Act, but there was little to
be gleaned about the cash potentially coming to the Gulf Coast.
“It looks like a bureaucracy is
being built,” said Sarasota County
Commissioner Joe Barbetta. “Who
has the ultimate power?”
The question came after the halfhour presentation, which showed
that after BP settles with the federal
government, the U.S. Treasury will
have oversight of the funds Sarasota
County could receive, which Little
said is between $5 million and $20
million. Little recommended that
the county join the Florida Advisory Consortium to guide fund use.
Membership in FAC would take
some power away from individual
counties for the greater good, he
said.
The estimates Little presented
vary based on whether BP is found
to be negligent or have committed
gross negligence with the Deepwater Horizon disaster, which bumps

the $5 million to $20 million if the
latter is determined. It could be as
long as a year before the settlement
at the top of the reimbursement
chain is finalized.
But, if Sarasota County chooses
the route Little recommended, commissioners would need to decide by
Oct. 1 whether to join FAC.
“We do have the opportunity to
look at leveraging each of those
varied domains into a unified strategy that would make best use of the
multiple funding we have coming
in,” Little said. The environment
and tourism intersect in Sarasota
County, he said, creating a unique
chance to maximize the payout.
“Probably one of the biggest challenges will be how to maintain consortium unity and focus,” Little said.
Commissioner Jon Thaxton said
when looking at the competing interests, breaking down the settlement amount too much would do
little to plug funding holes or start
new capital projects. County Administrator Randall Reid said the
latter would likely be the most probable use of the funding.
“We need to use it responsibly,”
Reid said. “Even if it’s free money, I
don’t want to waste it.”
“We’re probably going to need to
see this presentation several times,”
Commission Chairwoman Christine
Robinson said in conclusion.

WISH GRANTED

by Nick Friedman | Community Editor

How does your garden grow?
Four local elementary schools are using a grant made available
by Whole Foods and FoodCorps to reap what they sow.
Although Southside Elementary has maintained an organic garden for three years, volunteer garden Co-Chairwoman Natalie Tanner was overwhelmed with emotion when she
heard that the school had earned the Whole
Kids Foundation school garden grant for which
she had applied.
“I felt like I had won the lottery,” says Tanner.
“I was amazed, and I still am. I’m very grateful.”
Keeping in line with the growing trend of
school vegetable gardens, Southside wasn’t the
only local school to receive the grant.
The $2,000 grants, which are sponsored by
a partnership between Whole Foods and nonprofit organization FoodCorps, were awarded
to Southside, Alta Vista, Wilkinson and Gulf Gate
elementary schools just before the start of the
school year. The grants will fund student-run
organic gardens and are intended to promote
hands-on learning, environmental awareness
and healthy eating habits.
Tanner says the grant for the Southside garden will allow the school to spend more money
on equipment to help expand the three-yearold garden so it can continue to be used as a
learning tool for the students.
“Everything is an opportunity for a lesson,”
she says. “(The gardens) provide an opportunity to teach everything from language to math
and art; the possibilities are endless.”
Even when things don’t go according to
plan, Tanner says there’s always a lesson to be
learned. For example, when Southside’s bean
plants were plagued with aphids, she and the
students discovered that ladybugs could naturally take care of the problem.
Barbara Shirley, principal of Alsta Vista Elementary, says the school’s organic garden is
also in its third year, and that she decided to
apply for the grant to expand and enhance the
garden, which she says began as a simple col-

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lection of cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers.
As the garden continued to grow, Shirley says
she’s noticed its increasing influence on the students’ lives and eating habits.
“We have very few kids bringing chips or
junk food into school anymore,” says Shirley.
“They’re trying things they’ve never tried before. Some students took plants home ... you
can really see how the benefits extend beyond
the school.”
The students of Alta Vista and Southside will
use the gardens to plant a variety of vegetables,
and at the end of the season, they will harvest
the crops and use them to prepare a meal to
share with the entire school.
“There’s nothing better than hands-on learning,” says Shirley. “When we picked our cabbage, the kids’ eyes were so big, and they were
so excited to tell me about it. When you see that
enthusiasm and energy, it’s very powerful in the
learning experience.”

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PELICAN PRESS

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

TECHNOLOGY TREND

by Alex Mahadevan | News Editor

County School Board alters student policies
Students will now be allowed to turn on electronic devices, such
as smart phones and iPads, during approved class activities.
than 250 HP laptops, several
overhead projectors and 15
portable classrooms. The total number of surplus items
was purchased for a total of
$289,702, and its value has
fallen to just under $2,000, according to agenda documents.
A joint meeting with the
Sarasota County Commission the previous week was
held to discuss ways to further strengthen ties between
the jurisdictional bodies, and
County Administrator Randall
Reid’s emphasis on disaster
preparedness was supported
when the School Board voted to allow the use of Booker
High School as a storm shelter.
The county will pay to expand
concrete walls, harden roofs and alter the
electrical system to accommodate a gen-

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The School Board of Sarasota
County during a Sept. 4 meeting
approved changes to the district’s
wellness program, which brought it
into compliance with the Hunger Free
Healthy
Kids Act
of 2010.
That
included
striking
reducedfat milk
from a
list of
foods that
School
Board staff can encourage students
to consume and appointing “wellness
coordinators” at each of the district’s
schools to oversee compliance with
the program, according to agenda
documents.

erator.
Forecasted population growth has
forced Sarasota County to start considering new emergency shelter options when
disasters threaten the region. Two tropical storms gave emergency-management
staff a chance to practice procedures, and
now the School Board of Sarasota County
will partner with the jurisdiction to get
Booker High storm-ready.
After work is completed, the facility will
be able to withstand winds of up to 170
miles per hour, according to the contract,
which will be an increase from 130 miles
per hour currently supported. Construction and design will be funded with two
$502,411 payments from Sarasota County, and the contract requires quarterly
update briefings from the school board.
Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Ed McCrane will have access
to the shelter, which will be used for the
general population during disasters.

LV3825

As mobile technology
has improved and prices of
handheld devices have fallen, public school teachers
have gained powerful new
tools to improve lessons.
The School Board of Sarasota County Tuesday, Sept.
4, voted to allow the advertisement of a revision to its
handheld electronic device
policy now allowing use of
technology within classrooms. Textbook publishers
are pairing learning tools
with the fastest-growing
technology trends, touting
cost and learning efficiency.
The
technology-influenced policy revisal was
coupled with an agenda item
asking for the deletion of surplus and obsolete district property, including more

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VILLAGE / FROM PAGE 1A
would cost $300 for individual
businesses. The magazine would
group participants on a two-page
spread, Horowitz explained.
The move fits neatly into a
shift toward marketing the Village, which Matthes said would
add more value to the $50 annual
membership in the organization.
A billboard advertising the Siesta
commercial district went up on
Bee Ridge Road earlier this year,
and 15-second radio commercials have been airing on several
local stations this summer.
“We do have dollars in the
bank; we do want to promote
the Village,” Matthes said. “This
would really get us out more nationally.”
In the past, the organization
oversaw the firm that performed
upkeep in the Village, paying the
contractor out of its own pocket,
Matthes explained. But with the
county taking over fiscal respon-

sibility of Village maintenance,
SKVA funds have been freed for
other uses, such as advertising. The Village Association had
$46,000 available in its budget as
of the August monthly meeting.
“It’s a better way to go, in my
experience, with advertising, to
have a destination page or pages versus a random ad in there,”
Matthes said.
The marketing effort started
earlier this year was mainly focused on countering the effects of
the Siesta Key north bridge rehabilitation project, which requires
nightly lane closures. But the decision to use Village Association
money for member marketing
could signal a major shift in how
the organization functions — and
attracts new members.

ONLINE: Download
a Village Association
membership form.

Rachel S. O’Hara

The Siesta Key Village Association has kicked up marketing this summer to add value to its members’
$50 annual fees.

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PelicanPress
SIESTA KEY

“If we are to build a better world, we
must remember that the guiding principle
is this — a policy of freedom for the
individual is the only truly progressive
policy.”
Friedrich Hayek
“Road to Serfdom,” 1944

Effective sales ‘prevention’
Mention the word “parking”
merchants are losing business,
to Diana Corrigan, executive
the mayor vowed the city would
WHERE PARKING’S N0T A PLEASURE
director of the St. Armands Circle
take action to relax the policy on
Association, and you’re likely to
St. Armands. She apologized and
From: Chris Bowers
see flames and smoke spewing
acknowledged: One governmentSent: Monday, August 20, 2012 2:21 PM
from her eyes, nose, mouth and
size parking policy does not fit all.
To: Suzanne.Atwell@sarasotagov.com; dir@
ears.
A month has passed.
starmandscircleassoc.com
Talk about a hot topic.
And how has this issue been
Subject: Parking Ticket
In recent months, ever since
addressed?
the geniuses at Sarasota City
City staffers recently installed
I just returned from a fantastic two-week vacation in
Hall pulled the parking meters
more (yes, more) signs on St.
Sarasota and want say how much I enjoy visiting St.
from downtown Sarasota, they
Armands Circle. They instruct
Armands Circle.
have made St. Armands Circle a
motorists to “park in designated
Unfortunately the reason that I am writing is to express
parking hell. And Corrigan has
parking spaces.”
my feelings about receiving a parking ticket at the Circle
felt much of hell’s heat. She is
Really, are they serious?
while visiting on Aug. 10.
steaming — and so are the Circle’s
For the last four years my family and I have visited
+ Meanwhile, on Siesta
merchants.
Siesta Key and St. Armands Circle and enjoyed dining and
Siesta Key Village and Siesta
Shoppers who have been
shopping, and this year was no exception. However on the
Key Beach — like St. Armands
ticketed have thrown parking
first night we visited St. Armands Circle, I received a $35
Circle — continue to wrestle with
tickets in Corrigan’s
parking ticket for parking outside
their own parking problems.
face. They have called
the lines.
Thankfully, the city of Sarasota is
her on the phone,
This is the first parking
not in charge there.
fuming and calling
ticket I have received in
But like St. Armands Circle,
her and the city of
20 years — no kidding.
there is shortage of parking in
Sarasota nasty, nasty,
I am probably not the
both places.
unprintable names in
worlds greatest at parking
Interesting: Three of the region’s
loud, rude tones. And
but good enough to avoid
most popular tourist draws —
they have sent her
tickets on most days.
Siesta Key Beach, Siesta Key
sizzling emails, railing
When I parked the rental
Village and St. Armands Circle —
against the city’s
van in the Circle, I made
all have parking shortages. And
ridiculous parking
sure my bumpers were
they’re all crying for solutions.
policies.
within the lines so I didn’t
Don’t expect those solutions to
Ever since the parkingcause anyone else to get a
come from government.
meter fiasco, the Sarasota City
ticket. Unfortunately for me, I parked on the inner circle
For Siesta Beach, one of our My
Commission supported and
and didn’t move the van close enough to the curb, even
View columnists, Jeffrey Weisman,
instituted a get-tough policy on
though I backed up and drove forward twice to try to get
last week offered several creative
parking all over the city to make
closer.
ideas in our sister paper, the
up for lost funds from the meters.
We ate dinner, and while we were shopping one of our
Pelican Press, that would generate
On St. Armands Circle, this
party came back to tell me we had just received a parking
as many as
is how that policy has been
ticket. He said that as the attendant took a picture and
100 more
translated:
wrote the ticket, he asked why the ticket was being issued
Go to:
parking places
If a portion of your car is parked
and if a warning was possible.But because the ticket was
YourObserver.
for Siesta Key
outside of the rectangular parking
already written up, we didn’t get a warning.
com; search
Beach. If you
boxes — say your front wheels
Another couple stood by and watched and asked why we
Jeffrey
missed his
are on the lines — bam! You get
were getting a ticket; apparently it wasn’t very obvious.
Weisman
column, check
a parking ticket. If the rear fin of
As we left that night, I took note of at least 10 vehicles
it out online.
your car is hanging outside of
that were clearly parked illegally over the lines around
It makes a lot of sense, especially
the lines because you’re not the
the Circle but didn’t see tickets on any of those vehicles.
the idea of making use of jitneys
greatest parallel parker — bam!
So why wasn’t I allowed at least a warning if these cars
and empty church lots.
You get a ticket. If the wheels of
weren’t even recognized for parking illegally?
Two of the unspoken messages
your car are sitting on the white
To wrap up, we had planned to return to the Circle
in Weisman’s creative ideas
vertical line or a little over it —
during our vacation for a nice anniversary dinner, and
are: the private sector and the
whammo! You get a ticket.
I wanted to purchase a nice gift of jewelry for my wife.
economics of scarcity.
City cops have been writing
But after receiving the ticket, I felt I would rather use
Take the first, the private sector.
tickets left and right for these
my wallet to make a point that I did not appreciate the
You can imagine an entrepreneur
minor, minor infractions, and the
parking ticket. So we chose to go somewhere else to
(already in the valet and parking
cash is flowing into City Hall —
celebrate, and we spent our money in Orlando at Disney
business) operating weekend
and out of the city of Sarasota!
World and dined at the Boardwalk.
jitneys and lease agreements with
The merchants are in an
We plan to return for more vacations in Sarasota in
the Siesta Key churches that have
uproar. Day after day, they hear
the future and hope that the city decides which is more
unused parking on the weekends.
themselves or from Corrigan
important — collecting money from parking tickets or
But crucial to that
another story of an irate shopper
encouraging visitors to come and enjoy the city and spend
entrepreneur’s success is a
who has received a parking ticket.
their money on things they enjoy.
bugaboo county officials are
Early last month, an alarmed
Sincerely,
afraid to broach: charging for
and exasperated board of the
Chris Bowers
parking at Siesta Beach.
St. Armands Circle Association
Ottumwa, Iowa
Think about it: County
asked Mayor Suzanne Atwell and
commissioners are wrangling
the city’s parking director, Mark
with how to fund a beach
Lyons, to attend a board meeting
remodeling. For now, all Sarasota
Our board of directors did not want this
to hear first-hand how the city’s
County taxpayers will end up paying much
new policy. The Business Improvement
policy is working. Talk about a huge
of the tab. But if the county turned over
District did not want this policy. YET — it
success. It is one of the most successful
the beach parking lot to a private operator
“sales prevention” programs ever instituted is everyone who makes his living on St.
who competed with the valet service, you’d
Armands Circle who is paying the price for
at City Hall!
have the marketplace allocating resources
In response to the letter reprinted nearby, this new policy.”
efficiently — and beachgoers paying for a
After Atwell heard the stories of peeved
Corrigan wrote: “Our businesses didn’t
service and space that is rarely free.
tourists and shoppers and how the Circle
want this new parking enforcement policy.

THE CASTAWAY by Jorge Blanco

PELICAN PRESS

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

opinion | my view

LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR

by Mark H. Smith | Contributing Columnist

The time has come
to maintain the Village
Siesta Key Village property owners will see
welcomed improvements as soon as next week.

+ School Board
article included errors

Regarding the Aug. 30 article about the
joint meeting of the Sarasota County Commission and the Sarasota County School
Board, “Portable county classrooms to disappear in three years,” there were several
inaccuracies:
Micki Ryan is a planning analyst for the
Sarasota County School District but she
was not at the meeting. Sarasota County
Government Planning Department staff
members Tom Polk and Tamara Schells
briefed commissioners and School Board
members about demographic trends. I also
addressed the commissioners and board
members about school district enrollment
trends.
The county’s demographics did not
prompt the school district to “pitch plans of
phasing out portable classrooms.” We have
had plans to reduce our reliance on such
classrooms for a few years.
I did not refer to “the lure of charter
schools.” While the reporter did not attribute that phrase to me as a direct quote, it
is not an accurate paraphrasing of my comments.
The “build-outs” of Riverview, Booker
and Sarasota High Schools are not designed to “increase student capacity” at
those schools. Rather, the rebuilding of
RHS and BHS and the renovation of SHS
are designed to replace older structures and
make those schools more conducive to 21st

Monday, Sept. 10, the Siesta Key the construction for the Siesta Key
Village will begin to be maintained by Village Beautification Project under
Championship Landscape Mainte- the condition that the property ownnance Professionals. A long, arduous ers in the Village would pay for the
road has been traveled but finally, maintenance of the improvements.
once again, a private company has The construction of the Siesta Key
been selected through the
Village Beautification ProjSarasota County procureect was completed in spring
ment process to maintain the
2009. An ordinance was
Siesta Key Village. It has been
written creating the Siesta
more than a year since the
Key Village Public Improveprevious maintenance conment District to finance the
tract with JWM Management
Village maintenance. Comexpired. Over that time the
mercial property owners
county has been maintainthat make up the Siesta Key
ing the Village with mixed reVillage Public Improvement
sults. Over this past year, with
District have been assessed
the change in county leaderadditional property taxes
MARK
ship and staff, the maintesince November 2009 to pay
SMITH
nance of the Village has fallfor the private maintenance.
en between the bureaucratic
For nearly three years, the
cracks, much to the dismay
property owners of Siesta
of all of us who, for years, having been Key Village have paid extra property
working on making the Siesta Key Vil- taxes for private maintenance that
lage a pedestrian-friendly, shopping only happened August 2010 to Auand dining destination.
gust 2011. An accounting of all the
For those of you new to the area, extra tax money collected, how it was
well more than a decade-and-a-half spent, and what the balance in the Siago, property owners and merchants esta Key Village Public Improvement
came together about their concern District account has been requested.
that the Siesta Key Village had fallen By all accounts the tax bills will be adinto disrepair and was in need of ma- justed downward for fiscal year 2013.
jor renovation. After several public
Monday, Sept. 10 begins the promeetings, a consensus vision plan cess of bringing the Siesta Key Village
was created for the Village — wide back to the level of maintenance that
brick paved sidewalks, shade trees it deserves. It is stated in the mainlining Ocean Boulevard, additional tenance contract that the Siesta Key
crosswalks, the alignment of Canal Village Public Improvement District
Road and Avenida Messina and a ga- shall be maintained “in an attraczebo with flag poles to mark the Vil- tive resort-like condition throughout
lage center.
the year.” Championship Landscape
In 2002, the property owners and Maintenance Professionals has been
merchants started presenting that maintaining the Longboat Key Club,
plan to the Siesta Key residential so I feel they are up to the task. For all
community, business associations, of us who have volunteered for years
and the Sarasota County commis- to make the Village a better place, we
sioners to garner their support.
are looking forward to it.
In January 2007, the Board of CounMark H. Smith is the director of the
ty Commissioners voted to finance Siesta Key Village Maintenance Corp.

DATE

Time

Time

Time

Time

09/06 Thu 03:33 AM H 11:50 AM L 05:48 PM H 10:33 PM L
09/07 Fri

04:14 AM H 12:59 PM L 07:32 PM H 11:03 PM L

09/08 Sat 05:07 AM H 02:18 PM L

-

09/09 Sun 06:17 AM H 03:34 PM L 10:53 PM H

-

09/10 Mon 01:50 AM L 07:45 AM H 04:37 PM L 11:19 PM H

century learning. The new facilities are designed to last 50 years or longer.
A reference to the charts about Sarasota
County population ratios in 2010 and projected ratios in 2040 are attributed to Ms.
Ryan, who again, was not at the meeting.
I did not say that the forward estimates for
charter school enrollment show a “positive
trend.” Again, this was a paraphrase, but it
indicates a value judgment. “Upward trend”
would have been a more appropriate paraphrase of my comments. And we forecast
for enrollment trends in all our schools, so
I’m not sure what the reporter meant by
“The forward estimates for charter schools
have a shorter timeline” (perhaps he meant
shorter than the timeline of the county’s
population projections, but his meaning is
not clear).
The sentence in the last paragraph, “Sarasota County is one of the few school districts
required to split state funding for capital
projects with charter schools,” is incorrect.
We are one of a few school districts in the
state to share capital funding voluntarily
and proportionately with charter schools.
We are not required by the state to do so,
and the word “split” makes it sound as if we
give charter schools half of our capital dollars. We do not.
We would appreciate it if the reporter
would be more careful in future stories. We
are happy to provide information about the
school district to reporters who call us to
check their facts.
Ken Marsh
Director of Long Range Planning
Sarasota County schools

+ Pleased by reverend’s stance
Dear Editor:
The opinion column in the Aug. 30 Pelican Press alerted me to the stand taken by
the Rev. Fausto Stampiglia, of St. Martha
Catholic Church, asking God to bring this
nation "R & R ... Romney and Ryan."
It pleases me that Stampiglia feels so
strongly, politically, that he willingly risks
the tax-free status enjoyed by the Catholic
Church.
James Alexis
Sarasota

11 p.m. — 5100 block of Siesta
Woods Drive. Vehicular Burglary.
Deputies were unable to
find fingerprints on a pair
of Cadillacs that were left
unlocked and, subsequently, burglarized. The
owner reported that $10
in loose change, a vehicle
user manual and one of
the cars’ registrations was
missing.

11:11 a.m. — intersection of
Commonwealth Drive and
Midnight Pass Road. Found
Property. A woman saw
what she believed to be
a purse on the side of the
road and discovered it was
a diaper bag upon further
inspection. She told police
it contained diapers and
baby supplies, and officers
determined it had been
stolen out of an unlocked
vehicle the previous night.

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Brent Bullock has had many occupations – travel agent,
French teacher, social worker, corporate paralegal and a
lobbyist, but being a massage therapist is her passion. She
came to Sarasota in 1989 to organize financial seminars
around the State of Florida. Brent has been a Licensed
Massage Therapist and Reiki Master on Siesta Key for 18
years. She became a Certified Neuromuscular Therapist
in 1998 and a Certified Aromatherapist in 2008. She has

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received referrals from medical doctors, chiropractors and
psychologists. Her specialties are deep tissue, pain relief,
Reiki (a form of energy work), relaxation and aromatherapy. Brent is a tennis player and an orchid grower. She
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relaxation. Carol studied French and Spanish in California
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5:15 p.m. — 5000 block of
Ocean Boulevard. Petit Theft.
Three teens wearing backward baseball hats walked into
a convenience store, grabbed
two 12-packs of beer, and said
“thanks” to the clerk as they
left without paying. The store
manager was not able to keep
pace with the two women and
one man, all of whom ran into
a neighborhood. Deputies canvassed the area and determined
the teens jumped several fences
while running along the Grand
Canal.

10:37 a.m. — 4900 block of Commonwealth Drive. Burglary of a Vehicle.
A woman reported that she awoke to
find her Lexus’s doors ajar and noticed a dashboard panel in the vehicle
had been pried off. She told deputies
the unknown suspect took four or five
cigarettes and her diaper bag, which
was later found at a nearby intersection.

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4:17 p.m. — 5800 block of Midnight Pass Road. Petit Theft. A German tourist left her purse on the
beach while she used the pool at her
rental unit. A young man picked up
the purse and fled in a “jacked-up
muscle car.” The woman’s father followed the vehicle on a bicycle, but
didn’t record an accurate tag number
for the vehicle.

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a Gameboy. Officers found a fingerprint, but were unable to lift it off the
car’s dashboard.

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Every Sunday, rain or shine,
vendors make their way to Siesta Key to set up their tents in the
Siesta Village Plaza parking lot.
From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. locals and
visitors wander from tent to tent
at the Siesta Key Farmers Market
tasting, trying out and buying a
variety of products including
produce, seafood, plants, specialty foods, prepared foods and
other locally made creations.
The market began in October
2008.

Overflowing baskets of green beans were
for sale at the Yum Yum Tree produce tent.

Display jars of Obvita Organics skin cream

StoreAroundTheCorner

90421

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Jars of Ernesto & Luigiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
tomato sauce

Lydia Shannon, 2 1/2, helps her brother, Isaac, with his sippy
cup while wandering around the Siesta Key Farmers Market.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

YourObserver.com

13A

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14A

PELICAN PRESS

YourObserver.com

bayfront facelift

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE by Nick Friedman | Community Editor

by Nick Friedman | Community Editor

GWIZ to undergo makeover Sarasota prepares for premiere
Under the direction of a new CEO, GWIZ aims to meet
Trader Joe’s grand opening
community demands, starting with a complete retrofit.
Science buffs and curious minds of
all ages could be enjoying a completely
overhauled GWIZ by the holiday season.
The 33,000-square-foot science museum,
which emphasizes hands-on learning,
will undergo significant renovations in an
attempt to better meet the demands of the
community and its visitors.
When Sara Rankin Wilson took over as
CEO of the one-of-a-kind Sarasota museum in May, she and the new board of
trustees sent out a questionnaire to GWIZ’s
online subscribers to gauge the community’s satisfaction with the museum.
“The response was overwhelmingly
similar across the board,” said Miranda
Spinner, director of media and communications. “The community felt that some of
the exhibits were outdated, and, frankly, we
agreed. Some of our exhibits hadn’t been
updated in more than a decade. GWIZ is
going to take a nap, take a bath and come
back wearing a new party dress.”
In response to the survey results, Rankin
Wilson and the rest of the board decided
that the situation called for a complete
remodel of GWIZ and its exhibits.
The renovations, which are currently in
the preliminary stage, will break the center into 10 zones, with themes including
geography, dinosaurs, outer space, the Gulf
Coast, science and math. The remodel will
largely focus on meeting STEM education,

1 mile north of
Siesta Key Village
off Ocean Blvd.
349-1166

Total number of Trader Joe’s stores:
370 in 34 states
Number of Florida locations: Two. One
opened in February in Naples.
Most popular items: Joe’s Os cereal,
Charles Shaw wine (Two-Buck
Chuck) and frozen mandarin
orange chicken
Bottles of ‘Two-Buck Chuck’
wine on hand: 21,600
Number of shopping carts: 150 and
six kiddie carts

6135 Beechwood Ave.

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ager, or “captain,” as the chain prefers to
call them, expects a good crowd Friday
and anticipates heavy traffic throughout
the weekend.
A 32-year veteran of the company, Moffa
says she’s looking forward to her eighth
store opening. She’s not surprised by the
hype surrounding the opening.
“Customers believe in our brand,” she
says. “Probably 80% of what we carry has
our own Trader Joe’s label, and they know
there’s no artificial coloring or genetically
modified foods. They know they’re getting
a good, quality product at a great price,
and they know they can find some of our
more unique things.”
Moffa estimates that 50 employees will
be on hand for the store’s opening, which
is set to fit the store’s laid-back, Hawaiianshirt-wearing theme and will include a lei
cutting, hosted by Mayor Suzanne Atwell,
face painting and a performance by the
Sarasota High School Jazz Band.
The store’s regular business hours are 8
a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

1st FOUR lessons

Sunday Morning Worship Services
9:45 am Traditional Worship Service
in the Sanctuary with Choir &
Children’s Church
10:00 am Informal Worship Gathering
in the Community Center

Worship Service 10:00
Sunday School 10:00

Meet the general manager of the
Sarasota Trader Joe’s store, Linda
Moffa. Moffa has been with Trader
Joe’s for 32 years and tells us which
items she can’t live without.

922-1597

(USA)

Sunday Schedule

ONLINE

Learn to

(North of Stickney Point
and West of US 41)

Sanctus Pax
A Wednesday Evening Prayer Service
From 6:15 to 6:45 pm

90558

Siesta Key Chapel
Presbyterian
4615 Gleason Ave.

trader trivia

www.pineshorespres.org

90316

You’re
invited to
our place

Sarasotans are eagerly anticipating
the opening of the area’s first Trader Joe’s
grocery store Friday, Sept. 7. The soughtafter store’s second Florida establishment,
located at 4101 S. Tamiami Trail, will open
its doors at 8 a.m. to what is expected to be
a hefty turnout.
The new location will feature the familiar eclectic assortment of moderatelypriced groceries and house-brand products. As an added personal touch, the
store’s employees have painted the walls
with Sarasota-themed murals, which
include themes such as Siesta Key Beach,
the Ringling Bros. Circus and the prominent local arts scene.
Linda Moffa, the store’s general man-

or Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics, initiatives.
Within each zone, visitors will find modernized versions of exhibits, which will now
be referred to as AIDEs, which stands for
Adventure, Imagine, Discover and Explore.
GWIZ expects to incorporate more than
120 of these AIDEs into the new museum,
and they will include a variety of interactive
displays, including a CT-scanned model of
a human head that can be explored layer
by layer, a giant game of Plinko, dinosaur
kiosks, as well as visitor favorites such as
Mindball, in which participants use their
brainwave measurements to move a ball.
“We wanted something more modern,”
said Spinner. “But our hands-on interaction will never change.”
Tuesday, Sept. 4 marked the first day
that GWIZ closed its doors to the public,
and Spinner says she anticipates Murray
Homes and Osprey Property management to begin construction soon. As for
a completion date, she says construction
projects are always unpredictable, but that
they aim to be open in time for the holiday
season.
“This creates a brand-new vision for
GWIZ,” said Spinner. “We hope to move
forward, become more modernized and
continue with STEM education. There’s
no telling how incredible we’ll be in three
years.”

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Sports

YOUTH | HIGH SCHOOL | GOLF | SENIORS | COMMUNITY | TENNIS

YourObserver.com

* Denotes district game

CROSS COUNTRY

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

GOLF (BOYS)

by Jen Blanco | Sports Editor

Teeing Off

SARASOTA — Mason Fox has lofty expectations.
This season, the Riverview High junior
golfer set forth toward a new career standard — one he hopes will land him a spot
among the nation’s elite.
Although Fox is the first to admit that
achieving all of the expectations he’s set
for himself — which include winning the
Florida Junior Tour, the Future Collegians
World Tour and the American Junior Golf
Association Tour; qualifying for the U.S.
Junior Amateur Championship and the
U.S. Amateur Championship and making it to match play in both tournaments;
and committing to a college before the
end of his junior year — would be a miraculous feat.
“I set my goals really high this year,”
Fox said. “I set them so high that they
might be above (what’s really possible).”
But that doesn’t mean Fox isn’t up for
the challenge. And, he’s already off to an
impressive start.
Building upon last year’s success in
which he tied for 28th at the Class 2A
state finals as a sophomore, Fox shot a
36 against Cardinal Mooney Aug. 28 and
again against Venice Aug. 30 to take top
individual honors in both matches.
“I like when you’re done working hard
and putting in the time and effort and
being able to see the results ... seeing
everything come (together) out of your
hard work and people starting to notice,”
Fox said.
Fox is no stranger to hard work. He
started playing golf 13 years ago, after
spending the day out on the course with
his dad, Kevin, as a toddler. Fox quickly
became hooked on the sport, spending
as much time as he could on the course.
At that point, Fox knew he wanted to
be a professional golfer one day. So, six
years ago, he decided to sign up for his
first tournament, which he ultimately
won.
“I’ve always been competitive,” Fox
said. “Playing professionally always has
been a dream of mine — being on TV
and playing golf for a living. Ever since
then, I’ve been playing in tournaments
as much as I can.”
Fox has advanced to the Class 2A state
finals each of the past two seasons. Most
recently, in June, he qualified for the U.S.
Junior Amateur Championship in a playoff.
“It was one of my big goals to make it to
tournament play,” Fox said. “It was a lot
of fun to win (in a playoff). It was really

Riverview High junior Mason Fox started playing golf 13 years ago. Now the 16-yearold has his sights set on becoming a professional golfer.
awesome. It’s fun to test yourself and see
everything pay off.”
Today, Fox practices anywhere between three and eight hours a day with
the hope of not only making his third
consecutive appearance in the Class 2A
state finals in November but, more importantly, ensuring himself that oppor-

tunity among the nation’s elite.
“It’s more than a sport,” Fox said. “It’s
kind of like golfers are more respected,
especially by those who are good golfers,
because they know how hard it is to be a
good golfer.”
Contact Jen Blanco at jblanco@yourobserver.com.

Are you a Number One Fan? Show us your spirit!
Go to the “Contests” page on YourObserver.com
to upload your spirited fan photos and vote for
your friends! The monthly winner will be
published in the newspaper and receive an
Ultimate Tailgate Package. GO TEAM!

+ Riverview swings
past Cardinal Mooney
The Riverview High boys golf
team defeated Cardinal Mooney
Aug. 30, at The Founder’s Club.
The Rams’ Mason Fox shot
36 to lead all scorers. Jeremy
Perna (38), M. Seat (38) and K.
Trautwein (42) led the way for
Riverview.
Michael Staikos (51), Jake
LaMore (52), Jack Dingle (54) and
Matt Koval (54) led the way for
the Cougars.

+ ODA opens volleyball
season with win
The Out-of-Door Academy volleyball team opened its season with
a 25-12, 25-17, 24-26, 25-22
victory over Northside Christian
School Aug. 28.
Lauren Maxey finished with
16 kills and four aces, and Sam
Albano added 18 digs and 10
perfect passes to lead the way
for the Lady Thunder. Gabriella

The Sarasota High football team opened
its season with a 51-6 rout of Booker Aug.
31.
Sailors quarterback Hunter DeWitt threw
a pair of touchdowns to Shawn Bane Jr.
and also ran in for a pair of scores. Running
backs Rod Tullis, Corey Williams and
Marque Upshaw all found the end zone.
Trailing 37-0 at halftime, the Tornadoes’
lone score came on a 5-yard touchdown
pass from quarterback Alex Riddle to
Rashad Jones.
Sarasota returns to action Sept. 7 at
Palmetto while Booker hosts Venice.

Tennis coaching legend Nick
Bollettieri was inducted into the
Tennis Industry Hall of Fame Aug.
24, during the Tennis Industry
Association Tennis Forum in New
York City.
Former student and current
ESPN tennis commentator Brad
Gilbert inducted Bollettieri, who
recently turned 81. Bollettieri has
coached 10 world No. 1 players,
including Andre Agassi, Martina
Hingis, Monica Seles, Maria
Sharapova and Serena and Venus
Williams.
Founded in 1978, The Nick
Bollettieri Tennis Academy was the
first major tennis boarding school
and changed the course of elite
junior-level tennis instruction.

+ Riverview Rams fall
in season opener
The Riverview High football team opened
its season Aug. 31 with a 24-13 loss to
Palmetto, which reached the state semifinals last season.

The Rams took a 6-0 lead on a 14-yard
run by Karan Higdon. The Tigers responded
with a pair of touchdowns before Higdon
found the end zone again in the second half
to pull Riverview within one.
Riverview returns to action at 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 7, as the Rams host top-ranked
Manatee, which opened its season with a
41-6 victory over nationally ranked Miramar.

+ Cardinal Mooney Cougars
open season with a win

The Cardinal Mooney football team
defeated LaBelle 31-13 in its season opener Aug. 31.
Trailing 7-0, Demardre Patterson returned
the ensuing kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown to tie the game. Sophomore quarterback Reese Vita threw a pair of touchdown
passes to Elijah Toussaint, and Anthony
Caiazzo scored a touchdown. Blake Young
added a 31-yard field goal.
Cardinal Mooney returns to action Sept. 7
at Bishop Verot.

Improve your

♠ ♣ ♥ ♦
Bridge Game!!

Presbyterian
Church
of the Covenant

Complete Renovation

September 6, 7 & 8, 2012
10am - 1pm

The purpose of the Boutique is to provide quality clothes
to the needy and for resale to the public with the monies
earned used for both local and foreign missions.
Help us help others!
7950 S. Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34231
*gently worn and/or designer clothing donations welcome*

Are you a duplicate bridge player
who wants to win more?

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Presentation is free, but a suggested donation of canned or dry cat food (unopened, any brand) is encouraged.

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awards luncheon, beverages, beer, wine and prizes.
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PELICAN PRESS

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

17A
J.L. BAINBRIDGE

by Nick Friedman | Community Editor

& c o m pA N y, I N c .

Hunter DeWitt

Investment Advisors Established in 1981

Jerry L. Bainbridge

Fresh on the heels of Sarasota High School’s 51-6 victory Friday, Aug. 31 over Booker
High School senior quarterback Hunter DeWitt, reflects on the game and looks forward
to his final season as a Sailor. Despite a stellar game for DeWitt, who passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two more Friday, he says he doesn’t like to dwell on any win or loss.
Fay E. Bainbridge

You played especially well. Did you do
anything specific to prepare or stay focused?
I did the same thing I always
do to prepare for and during
the game. I can’t get as hyped
as the other guys, because I
have to stay mentally focused,
so I have to strike a balance of
focus and energy.

it as a cross-town rival, but we’re looking
past it, and we’re on to the next one.
What are you focused on to prepare for
the next game?
We just need to remain focused throughout the week at practice. If we do that, we’ll
be in good shape.

K. David Schoonover

What do you consider to be your strongest point as a player?
I’ve always had the ability to throw the
deep ball, and I’ve been working on my
short game lately. I also think I have
good leadership skills.

Joel G. oldham

Are there any areas in which you
struggle?
I’d like to be faster. I try to
work on that any chance I
get by just doing everything as fast as I possibly can.

How do you achieve that
balance?
I try to keep rolling
the playbook through
my head and go over
different scenarios all
day, so that I’m prepared for anything.

What is your
biggest focus as
a senior?
Individually,
I’d like to stay
healthy and
consistent
and stay in the
weight room. I
want to stay focused throughout the
season and try not to
get too caught up on
any win or loss.

How did it feel to
win over a rival team
such as Booker by
such a large spread?
It felt good. I only
had to play one half.
I wanted to get back
in there, but it’s better for everyone
to be playing with
fresh legs. Some
people might look at

John B. Leeming

Payment of management fee is contingent on client’s complete satisfaction.

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What was the key to Friday night’s big
victory over Booker?
I think it was our consistent execution at
practice. Everyone showed up every day,
and we were consistent.

oast to Coast Pools continues to
be one of the leaders in the industry
as they have already installed over 100
pools in 2012 and the year is not over
yet! Adding to the thousands of satisfied
pool customers, their goal is to be a
leader in the Tri-County area and they
are well on their way. They have most
recently won 5 out of 7 design categories
in the Parade of Homes 2012.
Coast to Coast Pools is proud to have
served our community for over 25 years.
Specializing in new construction
and remodeling, they also provide
outstanding pool maintenance, repairs
and equipment sales. “We treat each
customer as if they are the only customer.

in Your Home!

Ever wonder what your favorite antique, knickknack or keepsake
is really worth? Find out by attending our Antique Appraisal event
presented by antique expert, Dale Smrekar. Dale will be here to
provide valuable information when appraising family heirloom
items. He will also offer complimentary appraisals.
(Limit: One item per guest, please.)

We want to keep each family excited and
informed while we build their project”,
says Dustin Pointer, Owner/Contractor
of Coast to Coast Pools.
Coast to Coast Pools professional design
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the pool of your dreams become reality.
They set themselves apart by providing
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While you’re here, take a few moments to look around and discover
why Bahia Oaks Lodge is such an exceptional place to live!

Sarasota High School cornerback Quincy Battie, right, rushes after a turnover from Booker High School’s offense in
the first regular season game Friday, Aug. 31. The Sailors bested the Tornadoes 51-6.

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Booker High School quarterback Alex Riddle drops back in
the pocket before tucking the football for a short rush in the
first quarter of a loss at Sarasota High School. Sailors quarterback Hunter DeWitt outplayed the opposing quarterback
throwing for 121 yards and 77.7% efficiency.

JUSTTHESTATS
81 93
The combined number of points the
Sarasota High football team scored
in its preseason kickoff classic Aug.
24 and its season opener Aug. 31.

The age
of tennis
coaching
legend Nick
Bolettieri
who was
inducted
into the Tennis Industry
Hall of Fame
Aug. 24.

4
The Sarasota High School Mighty Sailor Band is joined by the Booker High School Whirlwind
Brigade to play the national anthem before the first regular season football game Friday, Aug.
31, at Sarasota High School. The Whirlwind Brigade played an avante-garde piece without a
drum line for the halftime show, and the Might Sailor Band showcased dazzling visual steps
with its show, Phantasm.

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2

The number of touchdowns running back
Karan Higdon scored in Riverview High’s
24-13 loss to Palmetto Aug. 31.

36

The score Riverview
High junior golfer
Mason Fox posted in
both of his matches
this week to lead the
way for the Rams.

The number of games it took for
The Out-of-Door Academy volleyball team to
defeat Northside Christian School Aug. 28.

87

The total number of yards in which Demardre Patterson ran back a kickoff for a touchdown in Cardinal
Mooney’s 31-13 victory over LaBelle Aug. 31.

The best small
businesses in
the Sarasota and
Manatee area.

90339

Scan the QR code
to view video»
StoreAroundtheCorner.YourObserver.com

Congratulations

Alzheimer’s

to Judy Robertson
August winner of the
CoolToday Weather Photo Contest

support Group

Taken on Siesta Key

If you’re a caregiver for a family member who suffers from a form of
dementia, you’re all too familiar with the frustrations and heartache that come
from trying to stir the memory of someone you love.
But when it comes to memory disorders, the more you know, the better you
can care and cope. So join Horizon Bay Sarasota and Jerri Andree, RN, and A
Certified Alzheimer’s Association Support Group Facilitator, for this important
caregivers support group that will help you identify key warning signs and offer
strategies to help you cope. Learn tips for family caregivers.

Wednesday, september 19

3 - 4 p.m.

Complimentary admission and refreshments.

For more information and reservations,
contact Barbara Patterson
at 1-888-691-7694 by September 17.

Each weekly winner of the Photo Contest
will be entered into a drawing for that month.
The monthly winner pulled will choose from
the iPad2 or CanonEOX T3 camera. For
complete contest rules or to submit your
photos visit the “Contests” page at

Three-bedroom home in Siesta Properties tops transactions
The following residential real-estate
transactions took place between Aug. 20
and Aug. 24.
A home in Siesta Properties tops all
transactions in this week’s real estate. H.
Guyon Townsend III and Julie Townsend
Smart, trustees, sold the home at 7435
Sanderling Road to Jessica Townsend
Teague, trustee, of Alexandria, Va., for
$840,000. Built in 1982, it has three bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 4,638 square
feet of living area.

TOP BUILDING PERMITS
These are the Siesta Key building permits issued by Sarasota County and city of
Sarasota for the week of Aug. 20 through Aug. 24, in order of dollar amounts.

SIESTA KEY

Revised Siesta

GMAC Mortgage LLC sold the home
at 4015 Roberts Point Road to Eric and
Candice Seace, of Sarasota, for $555,000.
Built in 1957, it has three bedrooms, three
baths and 1,798 square feet of living area.
It previously sold for $468,000 in June.

Beach Road

John and Linda Doyel, trustees, sold the
Unit A-524 condominium at 524 Beach
Road to Mark and Michele Lipman, of
Sarasota, for $535,000. Built in 1981, it has
two bedrooms, two baths and 980 square
feet of living area.

Gulf and Bay Club

Stephen Alford, trustee, sold the Unit
103 condominium at 5760 Midnight Pass
Road to Bob Para, trustee, of Sarasota, for
$525,000. Built in 1981, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,361 square feet of
living area. It previously sold for $315,000
in 1998.
Deborah Neff sold her Unit 608 condominium at 5750 Midnight Pass Road
to Cynthia Neff, of Champaign, Ill., for
$300,000. Built in 1984, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,335 square feet of
living area. It previously sold for $229,000
in 1984.

Jamaica Royale

Czeslaw and Alfreda Kulas, trustees, of
Northbrook, Ill., sold the Unit 76 condominium at 5830 Midnight Pass Road to
JKL Properties LLC for $399,000. Built in
1964, it has two bedrooms, two baths and

Rachel S. O’Hara

Unit A - 524 at 524 Beach Road has two
bedrooms, two baths and 980 square feet
of living area. It sold for $535,000.

986 square feet of living area. It previously
sold for $480,000 in 2009.

Harmony

Richard Hallock and Anne Hallock,
trustees, of Los Angeles, sold the home at
326 Treasure Boat Way to Treasure Boat
Properties LLC for $391,700. Built in 1962,
it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool
and 1,818 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $455,000 in 2002.

Edward and Deborah Odom sold their
Unit 4 condominium at 1021 Point of
Rocks Road to Scott and Karen Thomas,
of Morton, Ill., for $290,000. Built in 1962,
it has two bedrooms, two baths and 944
square feet of living area. It previously
sold for $363,900 in 2007.

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Carrie Caudill sold her Unit 103-N condominium at 6310 Midnight Pass Road to
Charles and Diana Stevers, of Ada, Mich.,
for $330,000. Built in 1968, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 894 square feet of
living area. It previously sold for $710,000
in 2005.

Sarasota Chamber of Commerce
celebrates the end of summer
The Greater Sarasota
Chamber of Commerce
had one last “summer
hoorah” Tuesday, Aug.
28, at Hooters. Members
enjoyed wings, burgers
and drinks while networking.

90318

Free hot dogs steamed in Sauerkraut
ready at noon every Saturday!!!

View the electronic edition of The Observer
before the print edition hits the newsstands.

Bringing Italy to Siesta Key, our family would like to
welcome you, our valued friends, to our alternative
dining experience. You will experience a real family
atmosphere while enjoying the delicate taste of our
home Ischia. Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar.

The very best in Florida seafood, traditional fare
& specialties served in a casual, fun atmosphere!
Voted #1 clam chowder in the world!
Nightly
entertainment in the Backroom Saloon - great drinks
& snacks at the Sneaki Tiki Bar.
90301

On the Gulf, only Sharky’s offers a gulf side seat for
your enjoyment. Enjoy the Tiki bar, live entertainment,
food and fun for all ages.
Enjoy fresh seafood and other entrees while
overlooking the Venice pier.
FoR moRe inFoRmation oR diRectionS,
cAll 941-488-1456
or www.sharkysonthepier.com

Jack Wassiliauskas took this sunset photo on the north end of Siesta Key.

Karenia brevis, the
Florida red tide organism, was not found in
samples collected this
week alongshore of
Sarasota, as of Friday,
Aug. 31.

PHOTO CONTEST: Win an iPad 2 or Canon EOS T3 camera. Enter your sunset, sunrise or weather-related photos for The Observer’s weather photo contest, sponsored by
. To enter your photos, visit
YourObserver.com, and click on the “Contests” tab in the upper-right corner. Weekly winners will have
their photo printed in the paper and will be entered into a drawing for that month. The monthly winner
will choose between an iPad 2 or Canon EOS T3 camera.

Pelican Press reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only. *All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher. *It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication
in Pelican Press to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with town codes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.

Furnishings
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EXPERIENCED SUZUKI Violin/Viola teacher has
current openings in studio. University Pkwy. and
Lockwood Ridge area. Also available for Suzuki
Teacher Training. marthashackford@Gmail.com;
941-312-6199; www.shackfordvioloinstudio.com

Business Opportunities
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Help Wanted
OFFICE ASSISTANT for small life insurance
office, Gulf Gate. Must have some experience.
$10/hour. Flexible hours/days. 941-966-4003.
PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE Assistant for
active trade association in Lakewood Ranch
area. Must have excellent skills with all Microsoft
Office programs. Detail oriented with a commitment to excellence. Flexible hours/excellent
office environment. Interested applicants should
send cover letter detailing skills and availability
along with a resume including salary history to
lisa@narca.org. Only complete submissions will
be considered.

Positions Wanted

Affordable Senior Housing

JEFFERSON CENTER

BEACHPLACE ON LBK: Special pricing until
end of December for beautiful 2BR unit, first
floor, modern furnishings, enclosed parking. Call
941-807-0897 for details.
ON BEACH or Bay!! 1-3 Bedrooms, Weekly or
Monthly. Available Immediately.
Seaside Management, 941-923-6077.

Pet Services
DOGGY HOTEL. 24 Hour Daycare. Brown Avenue
near Bee Ridge and 41 behind Sleep King
(new owner). First day FREE. Grooming by Mark.
Meet and greet and get a treat. 941-554-4620.

WE WANT TO BUY YOUR VEHICLE!!!
Any Make, Any Model, Any Condition.
No Title - No Problem! Bank Lien - No Problem!
Paying up to $30,000 for Vehicles. Call AJ now at
813-335-3794 for a Free Quote or 813-531-4298.

930 N. Tamiami Tr.,
Sarasota, FL 34236

Utilities & Cable Included

PROFESSIONAL TILE & MARBLE
INSTALLATION

LarrySellsSarasota.com

Condos/Apts. For Rent

Merchandise Wanted

STEVE ALLEN FLOOR COVERINGS

Homes For Sale

* Available through December 21, 2012. Holiday weekends excluded.
Based on double occupancy. Tax, tip & resort fees extra.
Type of accommodation subject to availability.
Bayside condominiums available at different rates.
** An 18% gratuity will be added by lunch and dinner vendors.
***Limited to one per customer.

LPN/CAREGIVER
Seeking employment. Experienced, dependable,
compassionate, desiring to work with the elderly.
Available full or part time, hours flexible, willing to
do some overnights. Will assist with clients
personal needs, dispensing of medications,
cooking,
light
housekeeping,
providing
transportation. Requesting $16.00 hr. References
upon request. Ask for Elle @ 941-806-7066

1. A guy asked his best friend about the difference
between ignorance and apathy. The friend
replied: “I don’t know and I couldn’t care less.”
2. A petty thief was in court. He complained of
kleptomania. He told the judge and jury he had
always taken something for it.
CROSSWORD_ANS_090612